A last-minute strike from Stuttgart’s Wabil Faghir denied 1. FC Union Berlin three points from Sunday’s game at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Urs Fischer’s team led through Taiwo Awoniyi’s first-half strike and looked set to bring the win back to the capital after a taxing week in European competition.
But substitute Faghir shot from the edge of the area in the 93rd minute to give the home side a share of the spoils.
VFB Stuttgart: Bredlow; Mavropanos, Ito, Kempf (Didavi 70); Karazor; Coulibaly (Förster 81), Sosa, Endo, Nartey (Faghir 55); Ghaddioui (Mangala 55) Führich (Klimowicz 81)
1. FC Union Berlin: Luthe; Trimmel, Gießelmann, Jaeckel, Baumgartl, Knoche; Khedira (Öztunali 64), Prömel, Haraguchi (Möhwald 90); Becker (Behrens 73), Awoniyi (Voglsammer 73)
Union put Rotterdam to the back of their minds and lined up against Stuttgart, the team who the Köpenick club defeated in the promotion play-offs to reach the Bundesliga in 2019. Urs Fischer rotated his side following European action – Tymoteusz Puchacz, Kevin Möhwald, Max Kruse dropped out, while Genki Haraguchi, Sheraldo Becker and Niko Gießelmann were reinstated to the line up. The threat of Awoniyi was clear in the opening minutes, the former Liverpool man heading wide of the post after four minutes. While Stuttgart saw enough of the ball around the middle third of the field, Union were disciplined and focused in defence. As the game went past a quarter of an hour, Union created the first clear opening with Becker key to the move. The Dutchman glided past his marker on the left-hand side, drilling right across the box but Christopher Trimmel’s late sprint into the box didn’t lead the opener. The goal came on 31 minutes as Union Berlin pieced together and finished a great counter. Rani Khedira broke up the play in midfield – a foul which frustrated the home supporters. Becker led the charge, cutting back to the edge of the box for Awoniyi to fire in his seventh Bundesliga goal of the campaign. Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side reacted with a good period of play, but Union held on to the lead. Endo fired at Andreas Luthe on 33 minutes before Marc-Oliver Kempf headed wide from a corner kick a minute later. Last week, Haraguchi’s run and pass led to the decisive opening goal at home to Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga – and the Japanese midfielder almost made it two in two. The experienced midfielder dribbled clear of the white shirts, feeding in Union’s top goalscorer but Awoniyi poked wide with eight minutes to play in the half.
Union came back out without any changes and immediately asserted themselves on the game. A lovely bit of play between Robin Knoche, Grischa Prömel and Genki Haraguchi nearly led to a second on 53 minutes but Bredlow saved. Four minutes later, the hopes of the home side went up in smoke in a matter of 33 seconds. Midfielder Atakan Karazor was shown his first yellow card for a cheap foul on Rani Khedira. As soon as referee Florian Badstübner whistled to resume play, Karazor came crashing in and earned his second booking. With a player extra, the control was established without peppering the goal of Bredlow enough for the second goal. Khedira limped off with injury and Levin Öztunali was handed the shirt for the final half an hour or so. The 26-year-old Stuttgart goalkeeper parried a dipping shot clear from Becker who came close to scoring with his last action. Fischer switched the front two around with Kevin Behrens and Andreas Voglsammer getting the nod. However, Union wouldn’t be able to tie up the victory as Matarazzo’s side threw caution to the wind late on. Faghir headed over with a minute of normal left but his second attempt from the edge of the area took a wicked touch and beat Luthe in the third and final minute of stoppage time.
Despite having to settle for one point instead of three, 1. FC Union Berlin will have little time to ponder over the result. Fischer’s side compete in the DFB Pokal on Wednesday at SV Waldhof Mannheim before hosting Bayern Munich at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Saturday in the Bundesliga.